7 Key Principles Your Web Design Agency London Should Stick To

It’s probably easy to think that all web designers stick to the same templates and techniques, again and again. This really isn’t true! Web design is more creative now than it ever has been, and the best web design services will help you to realise a unique, custom look which really helps you to stand apart from the pack. However, there are still a few key points that any agency offering website design London and elsewhere should stick to.

We like to think of these as principles – or rules – which run common through each and every web design project. Ultimately, there are always going to be a few factors and features which help to build a truly fantastic website. Therefore, it makes sense to look for leading web design services which revolve around these points.

There are plenty of principles every great website designer will need to keep in mind. However, for the purpose of this article, we are going to consider a handful of them to help introduce you to the subject. If the website design company you choose isn’t taking the following principles seriously, they may not be worth your time, money, or energy.

The day and age of just filling walls of text up with keywords are far behind us. For us in the SEO trade, this is called a ‘black hat’ technique, and Google actively fights against it. In this day and age, all web designers should be looking to create and install content which has genuine value. The best web content in 2020 is going to answer direct queries.

Therefore, as a matter of urgency, the web design services you sign up with should prioritise great content. This is content which is easy to read, which offers readers something new, and which gives them plenty of opportunities to learn more. The key to on-page SEO is to create content that actively retains interest. You are never going to manage this with walls of meaningless filler, so why even risk it?

For the longest time, experts offering top website design London and elsewhere have “worked to an idea of visual hierarchy”. This is where you place certain website elements in a conscious order – an order in which people are likely to read them as they scroll down a page. Therefore, it’s important to prioritise the most important elements, the hooks, towards the top of the page, gradually working your way down.

This is a formula which can get a bit involved, and which can vary from case to case, so we’re going to keep this really simple. The order in which you place elements in your web page design will vary depending on your business and what you actually want to achieve. Therefore, a simple template to consider would be a clear hook or business name, followed by strapline or headline, followed by value proposition, and then a call to action(CTA). This, as mentioned, is interchangeable and always open to tweaking.

Any web design services you choose should emphasise consistency as an absolute must-do. If your web design isn’t consistent, it’s going to be confusing at best, and infuriating at worst. In either case, you are seriously risking your visitors hovering over the ‘back’ button.

The best web designers out there will insist that consistency in colours, style sheets, branding and even fonts is crucial. There is a reason why something as simple as a WordPress shell offers you site-wide font selections as default. Keep your design consistent, and it’s always going to be pleasant and easy to use.

This really is something we go over a lot, but it’s so important. We’ll not beat around the bush. No matter if you choose website design London or elsewhere, you MUST implement a responsive, or at least mobile friendly look. Google is ranking mobile unfriendly pages lower and lower in their search listings.

Not only that but creating a website design that’s hard to scroll down and read on a small screen is going to seriously alienate a huge chunk of your visitor base. More people are switching to mobile browsing than ever. Choose a web design agency who can set up a mobile first approach for you as standard.

Again, looking back a bit at hierarchy again, organisation is a huge principle to follow. Your content and web design detail should make logical sense to follow. This is something that all good web designers will push for from the get-go.

For example, you might map out a customer’s journey on the main page of your site. You’ll show them products, then tell them why they might be of interest, and then show them how to buy them. This requires stepping into your visitors’ shoes and seeing the experience from their angle.

Authenticity isn’t always easy to get right, but today’s website visitors are a savvy bunch. There’s no longer any point in throwing out cheesy advertising lingo or cajoling content. It’s not going to land – this isn’t ‘Mad Men’, it’s 2020, and your audience deserves a bit more respect.

Therefore, web design services should work with you to implement a design and content strategy which appeals to your visitors head-on, without making any assumptions. This is a huge turn-off. In 2020, there’s no longer any room for hollow marketing, and visitors and customers will smell it a mile away.

Lastly – a simple point, but one of the most important, all good web designers know that hiding contact forms and details is a no-no. If you stuff your web forms and contact information away on a hidden page, you’re going to annoy your visitors.

Great website design London and beyond will either implement clear action buttons on the front page or will set up full contact details at the foot. The best pages will do both – and yours should, too.